European Cities and Capitals of Culture
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PALMER/RAE ASSOCIATES International Cultural Advisors European Cities and Capitals of Culture Study Prepared for the European Commission PART I PALMER/RAE ASSOCIATES, BRUSSELS August 2004 Palmer-Rae Associates Rue de la Croix de Pierre 74, B-1060 Brussels, Belgium Tel. +32 (0)2 5343484 - Fax +32 (0)2 5348161 E-mail: [email protected] - Web site: http://www.palmer-rae.com REPORT ON EUROPEAN CITIES AND CAPITALS OF CULTURE PART I Project Team Director Robert Palmer Research Manager Susie Jones Senior Researcher Caspar Will Assistants Sofie Sweygers Susanna Malzacher Raphael Bosch-Joubert Database Consultant Stephanie Racette Cover Design Julie Doutrelepont Expert Advisers Tourism Perspectives Greg Richards Social Perspectives François Matarasso Economic Perspectives Stuart Gulliver External Advisers Eric Corijn Rod Fisher Beatriz Garcia Brit Holtebekk Gottfried Wagner European Cities and Capitals of Culture Preface and Acknowledgements Preface and Acknowledgements This report is based on a six-month study of European Cities and Capitals of Culture. It encompassed the gathering and compiling of facts and opinions from people in 27 different European countries. This task was only possible with the cooperation and help of hundreds of individuals who submitted answers to questionnaires, offered information and views in interviews and discussions and sent in reports and data. Most were pleased to be asked and expressed deep interest in the terms of the study and its possible findings. A frustration is that in a report such as this, it is not possible to record every experience and insight, and in an attempt to address the specifications for the study, we have had to focus on specific topics and issues. Because of the scale of European Cities of Culture, there is a wealth of knowledge that cannot be captured easily. The research uncovered many strongly held viewpoints of people who were directly involved in one or more of the European Cities or Capitals of Culture, and those who observed from the sidelines. Attitudes (and even perceived facts) sometimes contradicted one another. Whilst some felt an experience to be positive and problem-free, others expressed disappointment and pointed to major weaknesses of that same experience. We recorded faithfully what respondents said and felt and, in the alchemy of combining all the responses to questionnaires and in interviews, assessed relative views and made observations. Terms such as success and failure, strong and weak, good and poor are value judgments, and in this study we have relied on combinations of such judgements, many of which have been quantified, to offer a snapshot of what took place in the European Cities of Culture over a ten-year period. We have tried to check and validate facts wherever possible and to seek balance when contradictory views emerged. The data contained in the report were gathered from many different sources, and if certain information or detail is lacking, it was because we received no responses to our repeated requests, or what we did receive was incomplete and, in some cases, inaccurate when compared with other data. We have used our best endeavours to locate and use accurate information, but apologise for any inadvertent errors that have been made. There were many individuals who supported and assisted this study. We owe a debt to the respondents and interviewees who committed time to respond to our questions and to offer views, and apologise for our persistence with e-mails and telephone calls. Mr. Antonios Kosmopoulos and Mr. Harald Hartung, the former and present Heads of Unit, as well as other staff working within the Directorate-General for Education and Culture of the European Union, offered advice. Analysis and texts received from Greg Richards (Tourism Perspectives), François Matarasso (Social Perspectives) and Stuart Gulliver (Economic Perspectives) were essential to the compiling of this report. Thanks also to Eric Corijn, Rod Fisher, Beatriz Garcia, Brit Holtebekk and Gottfried Wagner who, as external advisers, offered suggestions at various points of the study, and to Karyn Allen for her help in analysing data on sponsorship. The project team for this study had to deal with heavy workloads and pressures, and devoted long hours with diligence to compile reports and develop the database. In particular, I must record the enormous efforts of Susie Jones, Research Manager and Caspar Will, Senior Researcher. Their relentless work that involved crowded travel schedules, the recording and analysis of endless data, and the meeting of near impossible deadlines was handled with skill and persistence, and is a tribute to the dedication of the many thousands of people who have worked on the programmes of European Cities and Capitals of Culture over the years. We hope that this report will make a contribution to an important European cultural project that has attracted substantial interest and attention. Robert Palmer Palmer/Rae Associates, Brussels Page 5 Preface and Acknowledgements European Cities and Capitals of Culture Page 6 Palmer/Rae Associates, Brussels European Cities and Capitals of Culture Table of Contents PART I Table of Contents PREFACE AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 5 SUMMARY OF REPORT 13 Introduction 13 Methodology 13 History, Procedures, Designations 13 Aims and Objectives 13 Operational Features 13 Cultural Programme and Impact 14 Infrastructure 16 Communication, Promotion and Media Response 16 European Perspectives and Dimension 16 Sharing the Title 17 Economic Perspectives 17 Visitor Perspectives 18 Social Perspectives 19 Monitoring and Evaluation 19 Legacy and Long-Term Effects 20 Keys to Success 20 Cultural Months 20 The EU Community Action 21 City Reports 21 Conclusions 21 Recommendations 22 Organisation of the Report 22 RESUME DU RAPPORT 23 Introduction 23 Méthodologie 23 Origines, procédures et nomination 23 Motivations et objectifs 23 Caractéristiques opérationnelles 24 Programme culturel et impact 24 Infrastructure 26 Communication, Promotion et Réaction des Médias 27 Perspectives européennes 27 Le partage du titre 28 Perspectives économiques 28 La perspective des visiteurs 29 Perspectives sociales 30 Palmer/Rae Associates, Brussels Page 7 Table of Contents European Cities and Capitals of Culture Contrôle et évaluation 30 Conséquences et effets à long terme 31 Clés du succès 31 Mois culturels 31 L’action communautaire 32 Rapports de la ville 32 Conclusions 32 Recommandations 33 Organisation du rapport 34 INTRODUCTION 35 Background 35 Terms of Reference of the Study 35 Timing and Length of the Study 36 Methodology 36 History, Procedures, Designations 37 Submission of Nominations 39 European Cities of Culture/European Capitals of Culture 40 European Cultural Month 40 The Choice of Cities 1995-2004 41 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 43 Main Motivation 43 Mission and Objectives 43 Consultation 45 Advice 46 OPERATIONAL FEATURES OF DESIGNATED CITIES 47 Governance Structures and Boards 47 Problems and Issues 48 Advice 48 Involvement of Public Authorities 49 Advice 50 Operational Structure 50 Problems and Issues 52 Advice 53 CULTURAL PROGRAMME AND IMPACT 54 Introduction 54 Location and Timing 54 Programme Themes, Orientations and Coherence 55 Project Selection 56 Scale of the Programme 57 Programme Management 57 Programme Range 58 Art and Culture 58 Tradition and Innovation 58 Cultural Institutions and Independent Groups 59 Page 8 Palmer/Rae Associates, Brussels European Cities and Capitals of Culture Table of Contents Public Space 59 Blockbusters and International Stars 60 Community Development, Participation and Inclusion 61 Support for Local Talent 62 Spin-off 62 Programme Expenditure 63 ECOC as an ‘Event’ or a ‘Process’ 64 Isolated vs. Integrated Planning 65 Problems and Issues 66 Advice 66 INFRASTRUCTURE 67 Objectives 67 Types of Infrastructure 67 Expenditure 68 Organisation 69 Results 69 Problems 70 Advice 70 COMMUNICATION, PROMOTION AND MEDIA RESPONSE 71 Objectives and Targets 71 Tools for Communication and Promotion 71 Press Coverage 74 Expenditure 75 Staff and Organisation 75 Problems 75 Advice 75 EUROPEAN PERSPECTIVES 77 Approaches 77 Scope and Scale 78 Third Countries 79 Problems 79 Advice 80 Sharing the Title 81 Future 83 ECONOMIC PERSPECTIVES 85 Operating Expenditure 85 Overall Financial Performance 87 Capital Expenditure 88 Total Expenditure 89 Income 90 The Private Sector 91 Sponsorship 92 Economic Aims and Objectives 94 Economic Benefits 94 Palmer/Rae Associates, Brussels Page 9 Table of Contents European Cities and Capitals of Culture Economic Impact and Economic Importance 97 ECOC and ‘Megaproject’ Economics 97 Advice 98 VISITOR PERSPECTIVES 99 Introduction 99 Visitor Related Objectives 99 Visitor Numbers 100 Long-term Changes in Visitor Numbers 103 Types of Visitors 107 Socio-demographic Profile 108 Motivation to Visit ECOC 110 Impact on Cultural Visits 111 Visitor Expenditure 112 Marketing 113 Collaboration between the Cultural and Tourism Sectors 114 Image Impacts 115 Trends and Major Issues 115 Future Approaches 117 Methodology for Monitoring and Evaluation 118 Advice 119 SOCIAL PERSPECTIVES 120 Introduction 120 Access Development 120 Cultural Instrumentalism 121 Cultural Inclusion 122 A Framework 123 Social Aims and Objectives 123 Outcomes 124 Problems 126 Monitoring and Evaluation 127 Possible Future Research 128 Advice 128 MONITORING AND EVALUATION 130 Monitoring 130 Evaluation 130 Problems and Issues 131 Advice 132 LEGACY AND LONG-TERM EFFECTS 133 Introduction 133 Greatest Impact 133 Other Important Effects 134 Minor Effects,